Sports News

Warwickshire County Cricket Club is looking forward to the arrival of New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum this week by launching a new 'Welcome to Birmingham Brendon' campaign at some of the biggest outdoor media sites across the region.

Some of the world’s best sprinters will line up in the men’s 100m at what is set to be an electrifying Friday night of athletics at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games. The event at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park includes a two-day Diamond League meeting on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 July, with the Sainsbury’s IPC Athletics Grand Prix Final taking place on Sunday 26.

Lucy Bronze's stunning strike against much-fancied Norway proved to be the winner as England roared to a 2-1 victory against a much stronger Norway side and a quarter-final tie against hosts, Canada, in the FIFA Women’s World Cup. She fired into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area as England battled back following Solveig Gulbrandsen's flicked header had given the Norwegians a deserved lead.

England boss Mark Sampson said his team are building momentum at the right time ahead of their Women's World Cup last 16-tie against Norway on Monday.  A 2-1 win over Colombia in their final Group F game ensured England finished second to France on goal difference.

After a lengthy, often bitter, period of dispute then mediation the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and West Indies Players' Association (WIPA) have reached a resolution over the structure of payments to its international players.

UK Athletics and UK Sport, with endorsement from the IAAF’s Athletics for a Better World programme, have launched an international athletics development programme linked to the IAAF World Championships London 2017. The programme, known as LEAP (Leadership and Excellence in Athletics Programme), aims to develop youth athletics in a number of countries around the world.

After successfully staging England’s record victory over New Zealand in the 1^st Royal London ODI, Edgbaston Stadium has confirmed that more seats will be installed for the 3^rd Test Match of the Investec Ashes Series, which it hosts from Wednesday July 29 until Sunday August 2nd.

Adam Gemili became the 100th man in history to break the magical 10 second barrier for 100m as the European 200m champion ran 9.97 to finish second in a high quality Diamond League race. After setting a new lifetime best of 10.00 when finishing second in his heat, Gemili lined up for the final full of confidence.

Great Britain & Northern Ireland will send a competitive team to Porto Moniz in Portugal next month for the European (Uphill) Mountain Running Championships . The teams will seek to replicate the success from last year when they won two individual and three team medals.

The world’s best female sprinters will line up over 200m at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix on Sunday 7 June as the new British 100m record holder Dina Asher-Smith takes on the likes of Allyson Felix and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

As Arsenal became the most successful club in FA Cup history, Aston Villa, a mere shadow of the side that performed so impressively to beat Liverpool at Wembley in the semi-final, will have to regard Premier League survival (by the skin of their teeth, again) as their success this term.

European indoor pentathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson has confirmed that she will compete in the long jump at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on 24-25 July.

Qatar Airways, FC Barcelona and Aspire Academy hosted a friendly match at Miniestadi, Barcelona, between Qatar Airways & Aspire Academy – Football Dreams Africa team and FC Barcelona’s Infantil A Team.

Jo Pavey will represent GB & NI for the first time since she was crowned European 10,000m champion last summer as the 41 year old joins an eight-strong team heading to the European 10,000m Cup in Chia on 6 June.

Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill has confirmed that she will compete at the Sainsbury’s Birmingham Grand Prix on Sunday June 7. The British heptathlon record holder is planning to contest both the 100m hurdles and shot put at the Alexander Stadium.

Whilst the Birmingham Bears entertain local rivals Worcestershire Rapids at Edgbaston in the NatWest T20 Blast, a new chapter in the city's cricketing history will begin as the first match is played at the Edgbaston Foundation Community Ground at Portland Road, Smethwick.